SITE BRIEFING – SANDY ISLAND, WEST OF DEER ISLAND
SITE NAME: SANDY ISLAND. Located approx. 3km East of Deer Island. Large sandy beach around the southern tip.
Suitable for Novice to Experienced divers. Beautiful sandy beach, rocky reef extends southward. Wreck of Britannia is located about mid-way on the rocky reef on the Eastern side, between the awash portion and the light post. The Britannia was a 932-ton Dutch-built British ship, lost in 1798. No lives lost. Most remains have been moved to the NB Museum. A few scattered pieces remain. Area between Sandy and Spruce may have scallops.
ENTRY: Once captain has tied off and opened the stern gate. Giant stride off stern, signal if Ok to deck DM, wait at surface for your buddy, orient to the shore/boat, and descend when ready.
DIVE PLAN: DIVE THE RULE OF THIRDS, ONE THIRD IS RESERVE. NO-DECOMPRESSION DIVES. ALL ARE BUDDY DIVES (UNLESS YOU ARE CERTIFIED SOLO & ON THE ROSTER AS SOLO). MAKE A SAFETY STOP. Plan a circuit near the island shore and around the weir poles. We are diving low slack, current should be minimal. Look for giant cerianthid (tube-dwelling) anemones on the bottom, lump fish around the poles (look up). Surface within the weir poles. Rocky ledge extends south of the island and has a great variety of marine life. Dive time: Please keep within 45min.
EXIT: Approach ladder one at a time, keep clear as divers are exiting the water. Either take fins off in the water and hand up, or walk up part way and ask DM to help remove fins. Keep mask on and reg in until you are on the deck and away from the stern opening.
HAZARDS: Watch for fishing line, rope etc. which may be an entanglement hazard around the fishing weir. A moderate current will occur during tidal flow. If surfacing away from the weir deploy a surface marker in case of passing boats.
BOTTOM: APPROX 30-40FT ON LOW TIDE, DEEPER FURTHER OUT. SANDY, ROCKY
SMALL MARINE LIFE – SHRIMPS, CRABS, MOON SNAILS, NUDIBRANCHS
ON THE ROCKY LEDGES EXPECT SOFT CORAL, TUNICATES, LOBSTERS, SCULPIN AND MORE
VISIBILITY 10-15FT. VISIBILITY CAN BE POOR AFTER RECENT RAIN & WIND.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES: IF LOST/SEPARATED, STOP – LOOK AROUND FOR NO MORE THAN 1 MINUTE – SURFACE CAREFULLY LISTENING AND LOOKING FOR BOAT TRAFFIC – INFLATE YOUR BCD – SIGNAL OK TO BOAT – USE AUDIBLE SIGNAL IF FAR FROM BOAT AND INFLATE SURFACE MARKER. MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE BOAT OR AWAIT INSTRUCTION.
RECALL PROCEDURE: (INCLUDE TAP-TAP-TAP DEMO) In the event an emergency recall is necessary, the crew will sound a “tap-tap-tap, pause, tap-tap-tap” recall. End your dive immediately with safety stop if needed.